Luth has big day as Storm close weekend at Illinois Wesleyan

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Jacqueline Luth had the most kills in a three-set match in 10 years but the Simpson volleyball team closed the Illinois Wesleyan Barker Classic with a pair of three-set losses Saturday, losing to No. 19 Illinois Wesleyan and Benedictine (Ill.)

The Storm (4-4) lost to the host Titans 25-12, 25-11, 25-22 to start the day before losing three tight sets against the Eagles, 25-22, 25-23, 29-27. 

Luth had 20 kills in the three-set loss to Benedictine, the most by a Simpson player since Tiffany Everding had 21 at Central in 2006. She finished the weekend with a team-high 49 kills and a .239 attack percentage. 

ILLINOIS WESLEYAN 3, SIMPSON 0
Ty Duve had a team-high seven kills while hitting .357 to lead the Storm against one of the top teams in the nation. Luth managed six kills in 27 attacks while Hannah Lester and Katrina Hartman had three blocks apiece. Alyssa Mathews had 15 assists and Hattie Liechty led the way with 12 digs.

BENEDICTINE 3, SIMPSON 0
Luth was the focal point of the attack in the final match of the weekend, getting 41 attempts en-route to her 20 kills. She hit .341, but it wasn't enough for the Storm in the tightly contested match. Natalie Stadler led the team with 16 assists, Morgan Taylor had 16 digs and Lester had four blocks.

UP NEXT
Simpson hosts Central in the home opener Tuesday, Sept. 13. The first match of the Iowa Conference season is set to get underway at 7:30 p.m.